Sign



July 31, 1928. .1,679,167

T. A. NOLAN SIGN Fi1ed Nov.l5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 31, 1928.

T. A. NOLAN SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1926 A QFFIEK Patented July31, 1928.

UNITED STATES THADDEUS A. NOLAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SIGN.

Application filed November 15, 1926. Serial No. 148,530.

The invention I am about todescribe is one designed with an object in Vew of producing an illuminated sign having a most pleasing andattractive appearance and, 1n which, while the reading or other matterof the sign may be either of a stationary or of a moving character, themanner in which the illumination is accomplished constitutes theprincipal feature of novelty. A further object consists in theproduction of a sign having a type of illumination which presents theappearance of a sign in motion and yet in which the reading or otherdisplay matter may be either stationary or in motion. An additionalobject is to produce a sign in which the character of illummas tion,although presenting a scintillating,

twinkling, spirited, bubbling or lambentblazing action of the light, issuch that the actual motion producing mechanlsm 1s very simple, and inWhich nothing but the rays of light are acted upon by the mechanism, ina most simple and effective manner.

These and other objects are attained in the sign described in thefollowing specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embod1- ment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the embodiment of myinvention shown in Fig. 1,. and taken on the 11ne*2-2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional plan view taken'on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2.

Fig. 4is a cross sectional elevation upon an enlarged scale, taken onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental elevatlonal v ew, upon an enlarged scale, of adetail showing a modification of my inventlon. I

Fig. 6 is a fragmental perspect ve view showing upon enlarged scale adetail of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental perspective view showing upon an enlarged scale,a modified detail of my invention.

My invention is quite readily embodied in the form I have shown in Fig.1, in which a. box-like casing 8 is shown with a removable front 9. Inthis manner the interior of the sign is rendered accessible forinspection, etc. In the front 9 an opening. of suitable size is made tocontain a glass portion 10 upon which or against or adjacent to whichthe subject matter of the s1gn is placed, as will be explained. Thisglass sight portion is of particular formation in that it is not merelyclear glass or frosted glass, but it is the type of glass which may betermed rough. By this I mean the kind of glass which is preferablysmooth on one side and preferably sufficiently rough on the oppositeside to present a surface side is preferably placed toward the inside ofthe casing with the smooth side to the outside of the sign. This isclearly shown in Fig. 4.

And now, back of the glass or sight portion I place in suspendedposition a screen 11 which is preferably of sheet metal havingmicrographic perforations or openings extending throughout the entirescreen area in closely spaced relation. This screen is hung preferablyquite close to the glass as shown in Fig. 4-, by means of a pair ofeccentric straps 12 and 13 which encircle eccentrics 14 and 15respectively. These eccentrics are secured to shafts 16 and 17 whichextend transversely of the sign casing and are mounted for rotation inbearings 18-.19 and 21 which are conveniently supported from theunderside of the top of the casing. Between the bearings 18 and 19 is aworm gear 22 which is secured to the shaft 16, and between the bearings20 and 21 is a worm gear 23 which is secured to shaft 17. Both of theseworm gears are driven by the respective worms 24. and 25 which areattached to a shaft 26 extending longitudinally of the casing preferablyabove the worm gears. Bearings 27 and 28 mount the shaft rotatively sothat it may be driven by an electric motor 29 which is also mountedpreferably from the underside of the casing. From the foregoingdescription it may be'seen that the eccentrics are rotated from theirdriving connections with the motor, thus bringing about a combined sideto side and up and down movement of the micrographic screen 11. Thisscreen, of course, has an opposite ends of shafts 1'6 and '17 fromeccentrics 14 and 15. The eccentrics carrying straps 31 and 32 are ofcourse attached to the shafts 16 and "17 for opposite throw to thatproduced by eccentrics 14 and 15, so that screen 11 may be trulycounterbalanced.

The manner of illumination of the sign is merely shown-as suggestive ofa means by which illumination may be accomplished. I have shown electriclamps 33 which may be positioned in a row. along the bottom of thecasing back of the screen 11 and another. series of lamps 34 which maybe similarly positioned along the under side of a horizontal partition35 which also serves as a light deflector to help confine the lightwithin the compartment 36 back of the screen 11.

Suitable reflectors 37 and 38 on the -respective lamps operate to throwor project the light rays against the back of the screen 11. Theoperation of the construction I have just described is quite obvious asto its mechanism, but the effect produced may not at first be readilyapparent, Of course, through the operation of motor 29, the worms 24 and25 rotate respective gears 22 and 23. These in turn rotate cams 14 and15, thereby giving screen 11 the combined side to side and up and downmovement described previously. Now this movement has a pecullar effectupon the small beams of light being projected through the small openings39 in the screen. Each of this multitude of small beams is caused tomove in a circle describing a circular path over the rough surface ofthe sight portion, which, with the multitude of other small beamsoperating similarly, covers a path over this rough prismatic surface,each of these paths overlapping many times until the entire I surface ofthe glass is covered by the overlapping beams. Now, of course, thesebeams being projected from these many apertures simultaneously, andcoming from many angles onto the same spot at the same time, and sometimes at different times, the many angled faces of the prismatic glasssurface will cause the light to be reflected or pro-' jected through theglass in a refracted manner thereby causing it to pass through it in amutitude of directions which, being constantly changing,will show as ifthe surface of the glass was a sparking mass of fire.

Now, if the smooth outer surface, or, if

preferred, if the rough prismatic surface of the glass be painted orotherwise made opaque surrounding the letters, figures or characters 40so that the surrounding surface 41 permits no light whatsoever to passthrough it, thereby confining the refracted light to projection throughthe unpainted, transparent or translucent portions representing; thecharacters 40, the sign will take on the form ofthe reading or otherdisplay matter desired in an illuminated condition resembling sparklingareas of fire-like scinstudy of its possibilities is made. As ex amplesof modifications which show the forms readily suggested by a perusal ofthe drawings and description, I may as readily incorporate in a sign,such as I have shown.

above, a double face in which the glass 10 and micrographicallyperforated screen 11 are duplicated on the'opposite face of the casing8, the counterweight 30 bein removed and the second screen substltutedfor it. In this event the rays from the source or sources ofillumination are reflected or are pro-' jected through both screenssimultaneously. Thus the sign may be read from both sides, therebydoubling its value with no more expenditurev of energy .for illuminationand propelling power than in the one sided construction. v

A further suggestion, which relates to the manner of forming thecharacters on. the glass, consists in providing a sheet of metal orother material in which the characters are cut out in stencil fashion asin Fig. 7, 'so that when this sheet is placed back of the rough surfacedglass the lightwill ShOW throu 11 only on such portions as are cut out,tIiereby giving the same effect as has been explained in connection withthe painted surface glass. Such a stencil sheet,

I when made readily removable, enables the user of the sign to changeits subject matter.

from time to time, thus enlarging its usefulness.

An additional modification is to be had in the feature of the signsubject matter by providing that the sheet or strip containing thestenciled characters be made to move as for example-b described in t emachine described in patents which have been issued to me and which areof record in the United States Patent Office, in which the characterbearing element coloredbulbs and may be of such a number some suchmechanism as is that they may have alternate periods of illumination sothat changes in color and combinations of colors may be effected. Alsothe source of light may be varied so that lens projected light isemployed as in the devices described in the patents I have mentionedabove.

In Fig. 5 a modification of the micrographically perforated screen isshown. As a counterbalance to one screen 42 I employ a second screen 43,the two screens being hung relatively close to one side of the signcasing back of the character-bearing glass and in front of the source ofillumination. The effect of this would give flashing of the light beamsthrough the openings in the screen, which, added to that created by theprismatic surface of the glass would enhance the visible results.

In addition to the foregoing I may men tion that, although I have shownand described but one form of screen 11, it is quite obvious that I mayas readily provide a perforated screen of woven material, as for exampleof wire.

The foregoing but goes to show the many forms and modifications intowhich my invention may be built without departing from the spirit andscopethereof as will now be set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A sign comprising a rough surfaced light permeable sight portion, aperforated screen adjacent to and located to one side of the sightportion, a source of light located to throw light on the side of thescreen op posite the sight portion, means adjacent tp I! and coveringthe sight portion having characters permitting the passage of lightco'nforming to the shape of the characters, one of said foregoingelements being capable of' reciprocating movement, and means to impartsaid movement to sald movable element.

2. A sign comprising a rough surfaced light permeable sight portion, amicrographically perforated screen adjacent to and located to one sideof the sight portion, a source of light located to throw light on theside of the screen opposite the sight portion, means for rendering thesight portion opaque in all but those portions forming characters to bedisplayed, one of said fore going elements being capable ofreciprocatlng movement, and means to impart said THADDEUS A. NOLAN.

